The Georgia Shorts Film Festival is a theatrical screening event in Atlanta for independent films of all genres. The Georgia Shorts Film Festival also recognizes exceptional filmmaking and screenwriting with awards and nominations by our judging panel. All films are screened at the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema, with an awards show immediately after.

Awards & Prizes

Our panel of 12 judges will give 30 awards to filmmakers including:

1) Best Actor Award
2) Best Actress Award
3) Best Action Sequence
4) Best Animated Short Film
5) Best Cinematography Award
6) Best Comedy Film
7) Best Director Award
8) Best Documentary
9) Best Drama Film
10) Best Ensemble Cast
11) Best Experimental Film
12) Best International Film
13) Best International Director
14) Best Film Editing
15) Best Georgia Film
16) Best Horror Film
17) Best Microshort Film Award
18) Best Music Video
19) Best Original Music
20) Best Georgia Screenplay
21) Best Science Fiction Award
22) Best Short Film Award
23) Best Short Film Screenplay
24) Best Supporting Actor
25) Best Supporting Actress
26) Best Horror Film Screenplay
27) Best Drama Film Screenplay
28) Best LGBT Film
29) Best Comedy Film Screenplay
30) Best Science Fiction Screenplay

Rules & Terms

Georgia Shorts Film Festival is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations. The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless Georgia Shorts Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

13 Reviews

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Candice Delevante

Although I was unable to attend, I was deeply grateful to hear my project was accepted as an Official Selection. The festival's director, Caroline King was communicative, organized, respectful and encouraging. I really want to get down to Atlanta one of these days in the near future to visit the festival and the booming industry that's happening in the area. Thanks again!

Jason MacDonald

Small but GREAT festival! Can't wait to see how it grows. Some teriffic films and a really nice screening and awards ceremony.
We were thrilled to have our film, 'Mr. Goody' selected and to win two awards!
Wonderful communication and organization. See you next year!!

Response from festival:

Although I couldn't make it, Caroline was extremely communicative and kind! She alerted us of the nominations our short film "Polished" received, and was incredibly generous/congratulatory about me (Andie) winning Best Actress. We'll definitely be submitting in the future, and I'm hoping I'll be able to make it down next time!

Response from festival:

Thank you for your feed back, Andie! Your win was well deserved and it was a pleasure for us to screen "Polished"! Thank you for submitting to us and we hope to see you again soon!

Margina Sisson

I was not able to attend but was honored to have my screenplay included in the top five. The communication leading up to the festival was great. Really well done website page identifying the selected projects and award winners. Nice job. Very impressed. Wish I could have attended.

September 9, 2018
Opening Date

September 30, 2018
First Deadline

December 31, 2018
Discount Deadline

January 31, 2019
Earlybird Deadline

February 28, 2019
Regular Deadline

March 31, 2019
Late Deadline

April 30, 2019
Final Deadline

May 13, 2019
Notification Date

June 15, 2019
Event Date

Categories & Fees

Action Film (6-30 minutes)

This category is reserved for films with intense action, fighting, chase scenes, driving sequences, acrobatics, gun fights, martial arts, or some element that fuels the audience with adrenaline. The judges are looking for tense moments, strong editing and good sound design. The maximum length for all action short film submissions is between six minutes and thirty minutes in length including all credits. (6:00 - 30:00)

This category is reserved for films with intense action, fighting, chase scenes, driving sequences, acrobatics, gun fights, martial arts, or some element that fuels the audience with adrenaline. The judges are looking for tense moments, strong editing and good sound design. The time limit for the Action Micro Short Film category is five minutes and fifty nine seconds (05:59) including all credits.

This category is reserved for cartoons, 2D animation, 3D animation, clay animation, sand animation, Anime, Computer Graphics, Puppetry Animation, Stop-Motion, Flip Book Animation, Experimental Animation and any form of animated films that may exist, but we haven't listed. Films that have a mixture of animated elements and live action characters are eligible for this category as well. The maximum length for all animated short film submissions is between six minutes and thirty minutes in length including all credits. (6:00 - 30:00)

This category is reserved for cartoons, 2D animation, 3D animation, clay animation, sand animation, Anime, Computer Graphics, Puppetry Animation, Stop-Motion, Flip Book Animation, Experimental Animation and any form of animated films that may exist. Films that have a mixture of animated elements and live action characters are eligible for this category as well. The time limit for the Animated Micro Short Film category is five minutes and fifty nine seconds (05:59) including all credits.

This category is reserved for films that make people laugh. The judges are looking for films that have funny moments, comedic situations, fun dialogue, humorous acting, and great characters. This event has screened great musicals, sketch comedy, stand-up comedy, family comedy, silent comedy, slapstick comedy, romantic comedy, action comedy, student comedy, mockumentary, web series episodes, comedy TV pilots, fake commercials and more at our past events. The maximum length for all comedy short film submissions is between six minutes and thirty minutes in length including all credits. (6:00 - 30:00)

This category is reserved for films that make people laugh. The judges are looking for films that have funny moments, comedic situations, fun dialogue, humorous acting, and great characters. This event has screened great musicals, sketch comedy, stand-up comedy, family comedy, silent comedy, slapstick comedy, romantic comedy, action comedy, student comedy, mockumentary, web series episodes, comedy TV pilots, fake commercials and more at our past events. The time limit for the Comedy Micro Short Film category is five minutes and fifty nine seconds (05:59) including all credits.

This category is reserved for films that are on the darker side of the comedy genre. Sometimes referred to as “Black Comedy” these films have a sick sense of humor and may not be suitable for mainstream festivals. Often times these films end with the death of a character or have some strange gruesome scenes. Dark comedy films can make you laugh and cringe at the same time. If your audience laughs and then says “that’s messed up,” then you’ve probably produced something pretty dark. This event has screened dark comedy films that feature strange cruelty, or feature characters that are trying to get rid of a dead body, or they accidentally poison the wrong person, or even dream of murders, dark situations and revenge with strange dark comedic elements.The maximum length for all dark comedy short film submissions is between six minutes and thirty minutes in length including all credits. (6:00 - 30:00)

This category is reserved for films that are on the darker side of the comedy genre. Sometimes referred to as “Black Comedy” these films have a sick sense of humor and may not be suitable for mainstream festivals. Often times these films end with the death of a character or have some strange gruesome scenes. Dark comedy films can make you laugh and cringe at the same time. If your audience laughs and then says “that’s messed up,” then you’ve probably produced something pretty dark. This event has screened dark comedy films that feature strange cruelty, or feature characters that are trying to get rid of a dead body, or they accidentally poison the wrong person, or even dream of murders, dark situations and revenge with strange dark comedic elements. The time limit for the Dark Comedy Micro Short Film category is five minutes and fifty nine seconds (05:59) including all credits.

This category is reserved for documentary films with thought provoking short stories about real life, interesting people, great stories, historical research, medical issues, sports stories, coming of age stories, political issues, war stories, racism, gender issues, LGBTQ stories, social justice issues, artists, musicians, actors, professionals, technologies, or some kind of non-fiction story. All flavors of well documented films and stories are eligible from anywhere in the world, and in any language (with English subtitles or voice-over). The maximum length for all documentary film submissions is between six minutes and thirty minutes in length including all credits. (6:00 - 30:00)

This category is reserved for documentary films with thought provoking short stories about real life, interesting people, great stories, historical research, medical issues, sports stories, coming of age stories, political issues, war stories, racism, gender issues, LGBTQ stories, social justice issues, artists, musicians, actors, professionals, technologies, or some kind of non-fiction story. All flavors of well documented films and stories are eligible from anywhere in the world, and in any language (with English subtitles or voice-over). The time limit for the Documentary Micro Short Film category is five minutes and fifty nine seconds (05:59) including all credits.

This category is reserved for films with real-life stories, people and situations of a more serious nature. Films that have strong acting and great writing. Films that bring out emotions in the audience are what the judges are looking for. Strong drama films deal with everything from romance and family relationships to post traumatic stress disorder, depression and loss of life. Medical dramas, stories about overcoming adversity, period dramas, sports stories, immigration issues, poverty, coming of age stories, have all screened at this event in the past. Beautiful cinematography, good production value and great music are viewed favorably by our judges, especially in the drama category. The maximum length for all drama short film submissions is between six minutes and thirty minutes in length including all credits. (6:00 - 30:00)

This category is reserved for films with real-life stories, people and situations of a more serious nature. Films that have strong acting and great writing. Films that bring out emotions in the audience are what the judges are looking for. Strong drama films deal with everything from romance and family relationships to post traumatic stress disorder, depression and loss of life. Medical dramas, stories about overcoming adversity, period dramas, sports stories, immigration issues, poverty, coming of age stories, have all screened at this event in the past. Beautiful cinematography, good production value and great music are viewed favorably by our judges, especially in the drama category. The time limit for the Drama Micro Short Film category is five minutes and fifty nine seconds (05:59) including all credits.

This category is reserved for films that are outside of the Hollywood mainstream. Creative works that some would consider odd, strange, artistic, weird, innovative, fresh, enlightening, inspirational, confusing, mysterious, futuristic, retro, or difficult to classify. Experimental films must have some element that has something truly unique about it. The maximum length for all experimental short film submissions is between six minutes and thirty minutes in length including all credits. (6:00 - 30:00)

This category is reserved for films that are outside of the Hollywood mainstream. Creative works that some would consider odd, strange, artistic, weird, innovative, fresh, enlightening, inspirational, confusing, mysterious, futuristic, retro, or difficult to classify. Experimental films must have some element that has something truly unique about it. The time limit for the Experimental Micro Short Film category is five minutes and fifty nine seconds (05:59) including all credits.

This category is reserved for creative and scary Horror Films that have adrenaline pumping moments. Do you have a film that was intentionally created to scare people? Does your film depict any horrifying action sequences, blood, gore, monsters, psychotic people, slashing, stalking, zombies, vampires, disease outbreaks, demonic possession, haunted buildings, or any other elements that would classify your film as a true horror film? Great sound design, musical score, cinematography, visual effects or special effects are appreciated by the judges. The maximum length for all horror short film submissions is between six minutes and thirty minutes in length including all credits. (6:00 - 30:00)

This category is reserved for creative and scary Horror Films that have adrenaline pumping moments. Do you have a film that was intentionally created to scare people? Does your film depict any horrifying action sequences, blood, gore, monsters, psychotic people, slashing, stalking, zombies, vampires, disease outbreaks, demonic possession, haunted buildings, or any other elements that would classify your film as a true horror film? Great sound design, musical score, cinematography, visual effects or special effects are appreciated by the judges. The time limit for the Horror Micro Short Film category is five minutes and fifty nine seconds (05:59) including all credits.

This category is reserved for music videos of all musical genres. The judges are impressed by good stories, great acting, excellent cinematography, and cool editing that really syncs well with the music. If your music video is publicly available on Vimeo, Vevo or youtube, your submission is qualified for entry. An official selection, nomination or award from this festival may help you with exposure. The time limit for the Music Video category is five minutes and fifty nine seconds (05:59) including all credits.

This category is reserved for films that are exploring the future, time travel, space, disease outbreaks, experiments, aliens, or any other concept that involves technology that may not exist yet? Great sound design, musical score, cinematography, visual effects or special effects are appreciated by the judges. We have some science fiction enthusiasts on the judging team that can’t wait to see what you’ve created. The time limit for the Science Fiction Micro Short Film category is five minutes and fifty nine seconds (05:59) including all credits.

This category is reserved for films that are exploring the future, time travel, space, disease outbreaks, experiments, aliens, or any other concept that involves technology that may not exist yet? Great sound design, musical score, cinematography, visual effects or special effects are appreciated by the judges. We have some science fiction enthusiasts on the judging team that can’t wait to see what you’ve created. The maximum length for all science fiction short film submissions is between six minutes and thirty minutes in length including all credits. (6:00 - 30:00)

This category is reserved for screenplays that are funny, engaging and make people laugh. The judges are looking for screenplays that have great character development, funny moments, comedic situations, smart dialogue, humorous personalities, and a storyline that is easy to follow. Most genres of comedy screenplays fit into this category. General comedy, musicals, sketch comedy, stand-up comedy, family comedy, slapstick comedy, romantic comedy, action comedy, student comedy, fake commercials and mockumentary screenplays. Please note that we have separate screenplay category for Dark Comedy Screenplays, just in case you have a really sick sense of humor. 12 different judges will read every word of every screenplay submitted. The maximum number of pages allowed for the Short Comedy Screenplay category is 40 pages.

This category is reserved for screenplays that are on the darker side of the comedy genre. Sometimes referred to as “Black Comedy” these screenplays have a sick sense of humor and may not be suitable for mainstream festivals. Often times these stories end with the death of a character or have some strange gruesome scenes. Dark comedy films can make you laugh and cringe at the same time. If your audience laughs and then says “that’s messed up,” then you’ve probably produced something pretty dark. This event has accepted dark comedy screenplays that feature strange cruelty, or feature characters that are trying to get rid of a dead body, or they accidentally poison the wrong person, or even dream of murders, dark situations and revenge with strange dark comedic elements. 12 different judges will read every word of every screenplay submitted. The maximum number of pages allowed for the Short Dark Comedy Screenplay category is 40 pages in .pdf format.

This category is reserved for films with real-life stories, people and situations of a more serious nature. Screenplays that have strong acting and great writing. Films that bring out emotions in the reader are what the judges are looking for. Strong drama stories deal with everything from romance and family relationships to post traumatic stress disorder, depression and loss of life. Medical dramas, stories about overcoming adversity, period dramas, sports stories, immigration issues, poverty, coming of age stories, have all been selected by our judges in past events. Excellent character development, scenes that are easy to visualize and storylines that keep the reader engaged are viewed favorably by our judges, especially in the drama category. 12 different judges will read every word of every screenplay submitted. The maximum number of pages allowed for the Short Drama Screenplay category is 40 pages in .pdf format.

This category is reserved for stories that are outside of the Hollywood mainstream. Creative works that some would consider odd, strange, artistic, weird, innovative, fresh, enlightening, inspirational, confusing, mysterious, futuristic, retro, or difficult to classify. You may have a story from a very strange point of view, stream of consciousness, dream state or a political ramble that may seem incoherent or unfocused. Experimental screenplays must have some element that has something truly unique about them, please surprise us with your imagination. 12 different judges will read every word of every screenplay submitted. The maximum number of pages allowed for the Short Experimental Screenplay category is 40 pages in .pdf format.

Screenplay: Horror Short (1-40 pages)
This category is reserved for creative and scary Horror Screenplays that have adrenaline pumping moments. Do you have a story that was intentionally created to scare people? Does your screenplay depict any horrifying action sequences, blood, gore, monsters, psychotic people, slashing, stalking, zombies, vampires, disease outbreaks, demonic possession, haunted buildings, or any other elements that would classify your screenplay as a true horror film experience? The maximum number of pages allowed for the Short Horror Screenplay category is 40 pages in .pdf format.

This category is reserved for screenplays that are exploring the future, time travel, space, disease outbreaks, experiments, aliens, or any other concept that involves technology that may not exist yet? We have some science fiction enthusiasts on the judging team that can’t wait to see what you’ve created. The maximum number of pages allowed for the Short Science Fiction Screenplay category is 40 pages in .pdf format.